1870 in Australia
The following lists events that happened during 1870 in Australia.
Incumbents
Governors
Governors of the Australian colonies:- Governor of New South Wales – Somerset Lowry-Corry, 4th Earl Belmore
- Governor of Queensland – Colonel Sir Samuel Blackall
- Governor of South Australia – Sir James Fergusson, 6th Baronet
- Governor of Tasmania – Charles Du Cane
- Governor of Victoria – John Manners-Sutton, 3rd Viscount Canterbury
- Governor of Western Australia - The Hon. Sir Frederick Weld GCMG.
Premiers
Premiers of the Australian colonies:- Premier of New South Wales – John Robertson, until 13 January then Charles Cowper, until 16 December then James Martin
- Premier of Queensland – Charles Lilley, until 3 May then Arthur Hunter Palmer
- Premier of South Australia – Henry Strangways, until 30 May then John Hart
- Premier of Tasmania – James Milne Wilson
- Premier of Victoria – John Alexander MacPherson, until 9 April then James McCulloch
Events
- 3 January – A state flag of Western Australia is adopted.
- 1 February – A state flag of Victoria is adopted, although with no crown like the current flag.
- 22 March – A state flag of Queensland is adopted, with a portrait of Queen Victoria.
- 20 April – A second state flag of New South Wales is adopted, similar to the current flag of Victoria: a crown above the Southern Cross.
- 22 July – A state flag of South Australia is adopted.
- 11 August – Melbourne Town Hall is opened.
Exploration and settlement
- Gulgong, New South Wales, is founded.
- 27 August – John Forrest successfully arrives in Adelaide from Perth, leading an expedition along the south coast via the Great Australian Bight.
Science and technology
- September – Work begins on the Australian Overland Telegraph Line linking Port Augusta to Darwin.
Sport
- 12 May – Port Adelaide Football Club is founded in South Australia
Births
- 3 January – Ethel Richardson, author
- 14 January – Sir George Pearce, Western Australian politician
- 17 May – Sir Newton Moore, 8th Premier of Western Australia
- 1 November – Christopher Brennan, poet, scholar and literary critic
- 21 November – Joe Darling, cricketer
- 26 December – Norman Ewing, 23rd Tasmanian Opposition Leader
Deaths
- 23 May – Foster Fyans, military officer, administrator and politician
- 25 May – Captain Thunderbolt, bushranger
- 24 June – Adam Lindsay Gordon, South Australian politician and poet